The stretch of the M1 northbound between junction 21 (Coventry/Leicester) to junction 26 (Nottingham/Ripley) is expected to be the worst for delays

The M25, M5, M6 and M40 were also named as other roads “likely to see significant delays”

The RAC says the number of pure leisure journeys over the festive season is likely to peak on Boxing Day with an estimated 6.8 million individual trips.

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Media captionHow do you avoid holiday traffic jams?

On the trains

There are 330 sets of rail engineering works scheduled to take place until 1 January with some already begun.

Network Rail said it would do most of the works when no trains are scheduled to run.

Image caption The Severn Tunnel will shut between Christmas and the new year for electrification work

No trains run on Christmas Day and there are only a limited number of services on Boxing Day – but nationwide bus companies National Express and Mega Bus will operate.

The rail disruption includes:

All lines to and from London Paddington closed on 24 and 30 December. There will be a reduced service on some routes on 27, 28, 29 and 31 December

No Southern trains to or from London Victoria until Wednesday 2 January

No Gatwick Express service until 2 January

Timetable changes for services to and from Liverpool between Monday 24 December and 1 January, affecting East Midlands Trains, London Northwestern Railway, Northern and Virgin Trains

Replacement buses between Birkenhead Central, Birkenhead North and Liverpool Central from Thursday 27 December to 1 January

Replacement buses between Manchester Victoria, Stalybridge, Rochdale and Salford Central on 27 and 28 December and a reduced service between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge on Saturday 29 and Monday 31 December. Buses will also replace some services to and from Manchester Victoria on 1 January